bigglesfandomcom-20200215-history
Worrals et l'Opale noire (Tina comic)/plot
The adaptation is fairly faithful to the original. The section headings below do not occur in the comic strip. They are inserted here only to make comparison with the original text easier. The chapter headings in brackets refer to those in the original book. A Chance Encounter (Chapter 1) The introductory section occupies pages 3-17 and is faithful to the original in all details except that there is no extensive description of what an opal is and how it is found. Sundown at Warrabulla (Chapter 2) The three friends set off for Wallaabulla in an aircraft but it is a low wing single-engined monoplane, not like a Desoutter Coupe at all. Beyond that, this section is faithfully depicted--Janet's description of dingo scalp hunting, what a dingo is, the mess they find the house in, the number of bedrooms in it and so on. The encounter with the three prospectors takes place as in the original text. The speech bubbles are almost word for word faithful translations of the dialogue. Noises in the Night (Chapter 3) Worrals' discussion of how the secret of the opals could have leaked and her shooting at strange noises are all accurately depicted. Worrals Takes a Trip (Chapter 4) Worrals' trip to Adelaide is recounted accurately and in detail--her first meeting with Harding, then Moran, her chatting up the receptionist at Morans, her second visit to Harding to ask about firearms licences, then waiting for Harding at a restaurant. Prince's is not mentioned but the text describes it as an "excellent restaurant" and certainly looks very upscale. Worrals tells herself that she deserves a good meal. The encounter with Moran and then Harding at the restaurant is, again, almost word for word as per the original. During the first meeting, Harding offers Worrals a cigarette--quite normal in that era. Worrals' trip to Oodnadatta comes next. She meets Dan Terry on the tarmac but in this adaptation, they move into the airfield restaurant for coffee and most of the dialogue takes place here. Terry doesn't have a row of war medal ribbons. Maginty is more like a shepherd dog than a "rough-haired mongrel terrier". Then there is an incongruous de Havilland Comet on the tarmac! Terry mentions that Moran had been asking about Charlie a few days ago, but doesn't mention that this was the second time: he had asked about him "a long time ago" (according to the original text and this fits the timeline better. Suspicions and alarums (Chapter 5) Worrals' discussion with the others about her suspicions of Moran and Aunty Mary's death is covered more briefly than in the original. The events later that night are faithfully depicted except that it is Worrals and not Frecks who is first awakened by Maginty's growling. Reconnaissance (Chapter 6) Charlie's wurlie looks much more well built and massive than one is given to understand in the original text. It's supposed to be a bough shelter. Here it is almost a wooden cabin. All the details in this chapter are depicted including inconsequential ones like their brief reconnaissance flight and Frecks spotting a kangaroo. A death at Wallaballa (Chapter 7) From here the story is continued in Worrals mène le jeu . The events in this section, the wounding or killing of Yoka, the wounding of Charlie, all happen as in the original text. Nothing of note here. Moran pulls a fast one (Chapter 8) Frecks and Janet don't actually see a car on the track to Oodnadatta as the scene opens with them already arrived at the airstrip. However, here, Frecks recognises the car as one belonging to the prospectors (how?). The other events take place as in the original, except that, since the plane is a low wing monoplane, there is no question of the car reversing into a strut. The plane here has no struts. Instead, it hits part of the mose (missing the prop). The damage actually doesn't look very serious. Frecks does the repairs but she doesn't do a test flight--they take off for Wallaballa direct. Shocks for Worrals (Chapter 9) All the events and dialogue are depicted faithfully, except, of course, Charlie speaks fluent French. Moran makes an offer (Chapter 10) As above, the dialogue in the speech bubbles here are almost word for word direct translations of the original text. The part about Worrals not hearing Moran come back and him explaining that they stopped some distance away and walked is omitted. Move and countermove (Chapter 11) Worrals' analysis of the situation is given a lot less coverage. She concludes much more quickly, in about 5 speech bubbles, that Moran probably wanted them to die in an aircrash. She examines the aircraft and discovers the sugar in the main tank. The rest of the events take place as in the original. Frecks strikes out (Chapter 12) Everything is the same here. Frecks actually does use a clothes pole. Worrals gives covering fire but appears to be using a rifle and not a shotgun. The showdown (Chapter 13) As is common with many Tina adaptations, the story seems to spin more quickly to an ending, almost as if the artists realise they are running out of space. Because of this, the endings frequently depart from the original. Here it is no different. Janet comes back, with Charlie and no Terry. Terry turns up on horseback. There is another policeman with him, but he looks like a constable also, not a tracker and he is not named Sooty. The two policemen shout for the men to come out, but like in the original, they run to the car. Only, here, they don't succeed in starting up and getting away--Terry and his colleague catch up and arrest them. There is no shooting and Moran and Raffety are taken alive. The end of the trail (Chapter 14) The story seems to end hastily over four pictures. Frecks says she is just happy the criminals will spend their remaining days in prison. Janet says they are now all rich from the opals. Now it is Worrals who suggests that Janet sells the property--and she concludes by saying that this is because she is a bit like Charlie, she doesn't like opals. There is no mention at all of Terry and Janet marrying (surprising, for a girl's magazine). Category:Plot summaries (derivative works)